The Christmas Spirit

Things we're grateful for that help us get the Christmas Spirit:

-Walking on Temple Square

-Cold weather/snow

-Serving others (example- letting others stay a night or two with us...Me and Emmy are very grateful for the blessings we've gotten from that, and love visiting with friends and family when they're in town)

-Making Gingerbread Houses (or eating them before they can be assembled)

-Mr. Krueger's Christmas (would you like some Chocolate?)

-Chocolate

-Singing Christmas Hymns during Church

-Family

-Jingle All the Way

-Miracle on 34th Street

-Mickey's Christmas Carol

-Claymation Christmas

-Merry Christmas Charlie Brown!

-It's a Wonderful Life...oh ahho, It's a Wonderful Life

-Gift giving

If there is a Santa, this is what I'll be getting for Christmas...

For the love! What I would give to be jet skiing right now!

Christmas Snow!

So we bought 6 Savior of the World tickets a couple months ago. We thought we would be able to find people to go with us, but it was a little tougher because of finals week and people going home. I went on KSL.com and wanted to see if anyone wanted them. One guy said he wanted 4 for $100, ha, so I ended up making a profit on Savior of the World. It snowed a ton yesterday so we were really worried about going to Salt Lake. We went anyway and had a good time. Ha, so afterwards we went walking around Temple Square to see the lights. The Christmas lights were really pretty, the snow provided a special aura...the mood was right, I popped down on one knee and I "proposed" to Emily. The mood was so right that I proposed 4 more times. We got some good reactions from people. Emmy said yes the first couple times, then told me she was going to cut me into 1,000 pieces and feed me to baby sharks, then started running away from me, and slipped on the ice...and broke her leg. J/k. I was a little disappointed, I thought some people should have at least clapped for us, or came up to comfort me when she ran away and left me alone with a ring. BUT! Emily's sister told us that she heard on the radio Saturday morning from a DJ saying they saw about 15 engagement proposals on Temple Square Friday night. Hehe, little do they know we accounted for 5 of them.

"Tongue hangin out of your head and you was swimmin"

Ok...where to begin. It was a good Christmas and a good New Year's day...a good bowl season, good times with family, but the caucuses weren't that great. I was so busy last week with running packets to precinct captaings all over Pottawattamie and Crawford counties, making a ton of phone calls, organizing volunteers, etc. We had about 20 volunteers from Colorado come in, 1 from Connecticut, 1 from Oklahoma, and 1 from Alabama. It was a really fun week actually. It was actually a really fun week, I was so pumped about the caucuses. There were about 5 precincts at the site we went to, so it was pretty big. The Ron Paul people sat in one section, the Fred Thompson people sat in another, and the rest of us were on the opposite side. We had two huge Mitt Romney signs and we gave stickers to people as they came in. It was fun seeing friends, family members, church members, and old friends at the caucus. We did our best to get the crowd into it, the Ron Paul people kept on chanting for their guy so I started our side (it was mostly Romney people) up with a Romney cheer. The back and forth was fun, there were a couple of Romney fanatics...I was just glad they were on our side. We basically rocked the caucus. Because ours was so big we didn't get to vote until like an hour into it. By then a lot of people had called me telling me that Romney won their precincts. Things were looking really good, and then we voted. Romney-74, Huckabee-31, Thompson-20, McCain-19, Paul-12, Giuliani-9, and Hunter-1. I wish I would have known who the Hunter guy was. So everything was going well until I heard that they had already called it and Huckabigot won. I was pretty disappointed because from our perspective, Romney dominated. And Romney did dominate Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie county. So we all did our part. So yeah, I was pretty disappointed Friday and then Rush Limbaugh spoke right to me. He said, "conservatives do not look to other human beings for answers to improve their lives." He went off on how conservatism is different than liberalism and populism. Ya know, he has an excellent point. We make our own futures, not others. We do not look to politics for answers. It was a good back to the basics lesson.

This week has been just awesome! Man I love school! I'm sad that this is my last semester cause there are too many classes I wish I could take, too many books I wish I could read, too many languages I wish I could learn, and too many friends up here I wish I could spend more time with. It's been a great chillin with roommates and friends and just having fun. This semester will be unprecedented, there's no precedent baby!

I got in an accident last week. It was a windy day in Wyoming, a few accidents off the side of the road, so I took off cruise control, I hit a patch of black ice, and while I was skidding around I hit a mile marker. This little mile marker did huge damage to Trichy and she might not make it. She might be totaled. It's too bad I didn't roll it, that would have sounded cooler and more of a reason for it to be totaled. In my defense, the tow truck guy said that's the worst stretch of interstate in Wyoming. So whenever I drive by mile marker 138, I'll always slow down and remember the time I owned it and took it out completely. Sure I was a little shaken up, but ya know, that's life. Things like that happen. Colby's car, Trichy, pretty much kicked my trash that day. She wouldn't open the little door to the gas tank, a big ole piece of rubber was hanging down in the front, and some semi-truck guy nearly ran me off the side of the road. That was kinda scary cause there wasn't anywhere else I could go so I was prepared to just take it. I sped off when he let me and saw a big ole lit cross where his headlights were. He almost sent me to meet my maker. So there aren't too many good things that come out of wrecking your parents' car, but the insurance is paying for a rental car. It's a 2008 Toyota Prius Hybrid. It's a pretty sweet car. It's very high tech and kinda confusing. The other night it took us 10 minutes to figure out how to even start the car to go to Del Taco. That was unprecedented. Man I love Del Tacos! That phrase is not.

I got my first ever fillings last week. It really isn't that bad letting the dentist work on your teeth if she's hot. Don't worry, she didn't have a ring on so I can say stuff like that.
"Another filling?...oh please, go right ahead, I don't mind."

In talking about Israel's control over Palestinian land, Bush called it an occupation. That is huge I think! I've never heard a U.S. President use those words. He's really pushing for a Palestinian state by the time he leaves office. I really want there to be peace in the Middle East, but the part of me that is familiar with Second Coming prophecies really doubts things will get better before they get worse.

I'm hoping I can make a big announcement on my blog soon, but I'll probably have to wait until March. Things could change after all. But I'm really hoping they don't.

This will be a fun semester, it's fun being back.

Santa's Political Leanings

I wrote him a letter wanting to know where he stood on the issues, but nothing. So I tried emailing him and I got an instant reply saying that he only accepts Christmas lists at this time of the year. I even tried staying awake so I could ask him personally, but I fell asleep in Mom and Dad's room while watching Home Alone. I woke up around 1:30, but I missed him, and then I couldn't get back to sleep for a couple hours.

Hmm, maybe I can figure it out on my own. He's a pretty traditional person, it doesn't look he's much of one for change, like conservatives generally. He's been overweight since before I can remember, meaning he probably doesn't get caught up in the overweight hysteria coming from liberal media outlets. I'm sure he's worried about where his social security checks are going to come from. I wonder if he just invests those checks into stocks and bonds because he needs added income to support Sister Claus, the reindeer, and the elves. I'm really not sure where he'd be on the war in Iraq. I mean sure he's against war (everybody pretty much is), but he would probably ike it if more were allowed to celebrate Christmas. He probably isn't too concerned about rising oil prices because his sleigh runs on Reindeer power. But food prices to feed the reindeer also go up with high oil prices, so I take that back. He's probably a small government type of guy, especially after what happened in New York City. Free trade? He probably likes capitalism and more competition in markets to bring down costs for supplies in his factories. But his favorite color is red, so ya never know. As a small business owner I'm sure he is against mininum wage increases and probably doesn't like unions. I wonder if he has problems with an Elves Union or a Reindeer Union. I'm guessing he's pretty concerned about climate change and has probably bought into the myth that global warming is all man-made despite the fact that it's also happening on Mars, Jupiter, and other planets. I bet he's out there with the Inuits protesting for more government action on climate change. You'd think he wouldn't mind the North Pole being a little warmer, but then again he probably just doesn't like change. He probably wouldn't mind univeral health care cause that would probably simply some gifts. If he knew he could get free health care he'd probably go ahead and eat all the cookies and drink all the milk offered to him, I think I remember more than one occassion where he passed on our cookies and milk. I guess I could see Santa as a liberal or a conservative, but then again...

...WHO CARES! This was the first thing I thought of this morning, so I had to get it off my chest.
Yeah, I know, I'm a loser. I really need to take a break from politics.

Snow Miser (He looks a lot like Pete Carroll)

The other day I realized that all my BYU friends were going home for Christmas...and that when they go back, I'll be going back too. It hadn't really registered until then that I'm actually going back, I really haven't thought about it that much. I prayed for my friends last week, with finals and everything. Gosh I hate finals. Only one finals week left for me...but it'll be a doozy, the worst one.

I've been making TONS of phone calls for the campaign. They give me a Verizon phone to make the phone calls with, but we odn't have reception out here so I make most of my phone calls in the K-Mart parking in my car. It gets so cold doing it and I always want to end a little early and just do more the next day. But here's the thing...it's the same with running, exercising, or other things where you want to end a little early. It's so easy to end a little early or to make excuses for not doing something, but that's what's interesting about discipline...it's tough! But it feels really good going to the end, toughening it out, and accomplishing your goals.

Next Sunday is my last Sunday in the singles ward here. I'm going to miss it. A lot of fun people and it's been kind of like being a missionary again. Last week I gave a talk and taught 2 lessons, takes me back to my good ole missionary days.

Peter Jackson is doing the Hobbit! He's actually doing 2 movies, which will come out in 2010 and 2011. He hasn't said if he wants to direct it, but he is an executive producer. Gosh I'm excited for those movies! Christmas time! I love it! Coolness in the air, the smell of firewood, snow, and pine trees. Christmas cookies, Christmas movies like Claymation Christmas, A Christmas Carol, A Year without a Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Jack Frost, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, A Very Brady Christmas, Miracle on 34th street, Disney Christmas videos, etc. And then Christmas songs in Church. My favorites are the First Noel, Away in a Manger, Silent Night, Do You Hear What I Hear, and Angels We have Heard on High. It's Christmas! It's Christ, it's family, it's tradititions, it's everything.

My friend Honorable Moses died in Uganda. Captain Frank emailed me and said he was killed in an accident. It hurts to hear that. He was a fun kid to be around and ambitious to become a politician, that's why I called him Honorable Moses. When I'd go to the Crane School in Mukono, I would sit by Moses and we'd chat and joke around. Even though he was only 12, he knew a lot about Ugandan politics and quite a bit about American politics, we would talk a lot about politics and such. Once, when I was teaching a class about geography, I asked lots of questions about what language the people spoke in the different countries and he was able to answer many of the questions. I noticed that these kids liked talking about the world. They liked feeling a part of the bigger world. The whole time I was there he'd costantly say that he wanted me to try out the sugar cane because it was the best. One day I didn't see him at school and learned that the students who didn't have the required school materials had to leave and couldn't come back until they had them. I ran into him on the way home, he took me his home and gave me sugar cane. His home was very small and it was just obvious that his family was very poor. But Moses was always smiling and optimistic. Good kid.


He's on my right side, in the blue sweater.


That's him in the front in the blue sweater.



In the center in red.

Honorable Moses

1st part of blog:

Dear 2007,

Hello, I am going to own you! You are my year. I have to admit, you have a lot to live up to. 2006 was amazing! I had high expectations for that year and 2006 exceeded them. I have a lot in store for you, so be ready for a crazy time. Ya know, you will be my favorite if you help me with keeping my resolutions the whole year not just the first couple months. I have some other goals that I'm hoping you help me reach. Thanks for not letting me be that lazy so far, but it's only been 3 days so you can't brag too much. Thanks for the snow back home and for helping us get back to Utah so speedily. I'm liking you so far.

So here are a couple things you're going to do for me: run a marathon; write everyday in my journal; better and longer Gospel study sessions; going to Holland, Germany, Africa; lots of camping trips and going jet skiing; learn basics of Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic; straight A's; good GRE score; better of idea and plans of the future; I have a honeymoon package lined up, so any help in that area would be appreciated; stay in contact with people from mission and back home friends; a little help in the money area would be tight; a couple other personal things; and anything else that you want to throw at me.

Don't go by too fast, lately all the other years have and it's been driving me crazy. What do you have in store for the world? Is the Israel-Paletine situation going to improve? Is Mitt Romney going to be the leading presidential candidate? What's the situation going to be like in Iraq? I know you don't have complete control over this, but if you could stop world hunger, global poverty, international disputes and a number of other things, you'd make a lot of people happy.

Be good to my friends and family. So far nobody really close to me has died or been severely injured. I'm not always sure what my friends or family want from you, but can you give it to them? They've all been there for me all those other years, so do what you can to help them be happy. Do you take bribes?

Good start with the Boise St. game. Here's a list of things that I'd like you to do:
-Jazz with the NBA finals
-White Sox with the World Series
-49ers make the playoffs
-BYU basketball goes far in the NCAA tournament
-BYU goes undefeated in football and plays for the National Championship.

Wow, if you allow all these things to happen while you're around, you'll be all-time favorite.

Sincerely,
Kasey Beck

PS- If you see your buddy, 2006, tell him thanks again for a great year.


2nd part:

I really don't have that much to say. We got in yesterday around 2. We drove all night after the Boise State game. Holy cow! That was amazing; I became a Boise St. fan! I can't believe they won it on 3 trick plays...all of them when the game was on the line. Well, I'm not sure if I'm going to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. The company that I was going to go through up'd the price by $200 more than what's on the web site. But some people I'm going with are looking into climbing Mt. Kenya, so we'll see. So I've gotten a couple syllabi for my classes, I'm already stressed about next semester, I'll have several 12-14 pg. research papers.

It was good being home- being with family, seeing old friends. We played lots of basketball and dodgeball and then we got snow on new year's eve...it was awesome, even though it kept some people from coming to our party. Mallori and Laci came over, we talked for hours with them. Me, Sky, Trevor, and Travis played basketball. It was like old times, Dragons vs. Eagles. The Dragons (me and Travis) once again reinforced our superiority by beating them 2 out of 3 games.

I'm auditing Spanish this semester so I gotta start practicing Spanish again. Me gusto jugar al futbol americano. Mi llamo es Kasey, mi familia es loco.

Having Fun with Carrie's Memory Card

We got home safely, I still can't believe that people doubted us. A bunch of people owe me $5.















Dallas got Councilina a Superman outfit for a present. Too bad it wasn't a batman outfit...j/k. It's really sweet and it fits really well.




































So she took off and then we never saw her again. She was a pretty cool sister. But with Superlina out of the way, me and Kayla had fun.





















































So I went found some other good pictures on Carrie's memory card.

There is no better (secular) feeling than being done with finals. We leave tomorrow for CB. I have a lot to do over the next couple weeks. The game starts in an hour. I'm pretty pumped!

Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home. ~Carol Nelson

Merry Christmas!!

There you are Peter

Wow! What a weekend! I tell ya, playin football in the snow was so much fun, I am dieing to do it again.

I think I'm getting deathly ill. So Abbas, the Palestinian prime minister just called for new elections in the Palestinian territories. Last January, Hamas, a more Islamic radical party was elected to office. Abbas and his Fatah party were pretty corrupt and weren't necessarily getting much done. The problem, though, is that once Hamas was elected into office, the world pretty much cut off all aid to the Palestinians. The Palestinians are pretty much entirely dependent on aid from other countries. Aid was cut because Hamas refused, and still refuses to recognize Israel. It's interesting how the world works with some terrorists and not others. Sharon, the former Israeli prime minister who had a stroke, is in my mind a terrorist. I don't necessarily agree with it all because the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are the second most poor people in the world. More than 80% live below the poverty line. Well, the situation is pretty desparate and internal strifes are happening between Fatah and Hamas. I'm not sure what will happen in the elections but Civil War is possible, which would mean that Israel would come in with a heavy hand and possibly reclaim Gaza and the West Bank. It's unfortunate because a solution was nearly possible. Israel was getting closer to withdrawing to the 1967 boundaries, but I doubt that will happen now. My solution for the whole thing is for Israeli forces to control the border between Gaza and Egypt, for Israel to withdraw to 1967 boundaries and for Jerusalem to be made into an international city, governed by the UN. It's worth a shot.

I figured out what I'm going to ask Santa for Christmas. More patience. Patience with myself, others, and God. I think I expect too much from people. There was a great patience talk in the last conference.

Lilian sent us some German candy. Es ist sehr gut!

Chelsea's backing out of the Tijuana trip...I even got work off!! Grr. I think it's because we ended the engagement. Actually, Kyle ended it with P-dub, so Chelsea ended it with me, me and P-dub got engaged, Gavin and Chelsea got engaged, I broke it off with P-dub, Gavin broke it off with Chelsea, and Cannon and Whitney got engaged, and then I secretly arranged a marriage between Jared and Heather...just kidding. Actually, I think Councilina and Chelsea are right.

Props to Wes and Julie on the music video. There was a lot that happened in the video that I approved of...like Cannon and Elizabeth hookin up. Check out Cannon's blog: www.feasible.blogspot.com.

Home. Home. Home. I want to go home and be with Jamie, Kayla, Colby, and Mom&Dad.